Appropriate tank cars for late 80's/early 90's layout?

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

What size tank cars would be appropriate for the late 80’s/early 90’s layout? I have some 40-foot chemical cars (athearn and atlas). I found this list in a previous thread which suggests they are okay to use but the author was answering a question for a late 70’s layout (see below). Should I be upgrading to larger cars (my minimum radius is 24 inches)?

credit to: http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/13/t/248488.aspx

Athearn Blue Box

62’ tankcar, used for railroad fuel service even today
40’ chemical tankcar, still several floating around in during the 80’s and 90’s

Athearn RTR
8,000 NACC “Beercan” tankcar, built in the 60’s
13,600 acid tankcars, first built in the late 70’s
20,900 Acid Tankcar
20,900 General Service tankcar, built in the 60’s and 70’s
33,900 LPG Tank, (the style with the short platform)

Athearn Genesis
20,000 GATX General Service Tankcar, another great 60’s and 70’s tankcar, due in 2011

Atlas
11,000 Chemical Tankcar, still a few floating around in the 70’s and 80’s
14,000 Kaolin tankcars, 70’s built
17,360 Chemical tankcar, 70’s built
20,700 General Service tankcars, 60’s built
23,500 GS tank, 70’s and 80’s built
33,000 Whalebelly tankcar, 60’s built

Walthers
16,000 40’ Modern Funnel Flow tankcar, A good 70’s era car for Corn Syrup and Kaolin Clay Slurry
23,000 54’ Modern Funnel Flow Tankcar, 70’s built Vegetable Oil/ Petroleum products tankcar
33,000 65’ Tankcar, 70’s built LPG tankcar

2

Hellooooo!! where are you? I just responded to your thread about tank cars in General Discussion, and now this thread? with all this additonal info?

Geez!

Mike.

3

This was my first version and it got moved while I was editing and I thought it was lost so I resubmitted a shorter version. Both were posted in GD rather than prototype. Based on the info in my earlier post, it wouldn’t be unheard of to have 40 ft chemical cars in this time period.

4

Yea, 40’ would be fine, in the first thread, I wasn’t sure what you had.

I think your list would work OK. I think probably the average car would be in the 50’ to 55’ range, as they are now. Crude oil tankers are about 58’, over the couplers, the tank itself is about 52’. The cars for LP and Anhydrous amonia were/are in the 65’ variety.

I think your 24" radius will be fine, it works ok for me, even the 65’ cars.

Mike.

5

Mike, thanks for the information! I’ve been busy searching on E-bay. Was able to find some 50-ft tank cars that work well for multiple industries. Some require assembly and are a bit cheaper but tanks do not always go together well without some extra fiddling.

6

The MDC/Roundhouse 50’ cars go together good, the Walthers cars, with the tank split down the middle, can be a challange.

Plano makes etched brass parts for the Roundhouse cars, the platform around the dome, and the ladders. Kind of jazzes them up a bit, although the Roundhouse cars come with a see-through plastic grating around the dome, which also looks fine.

http://www.planomodelproducts.com/htankcar_scq.html

#305.

Also, in Ebay, look for River_city_railroad. He has undecorated kits.

Mike.

7

Thanks Mike, I decided to go with the MDC/Roundhouse cars. Thanks for the tip on the see-through plastic grating, will definitely use it to upgrade my three unassembled tank cars.

What is River_City_Railroad? Is it a store? I must be searching incorrectly as E-bay has no hits for that name (with or without underlines).

8

The cars I got from RCR, came with see-through plastic grating, The Plano etched brass, you have to order from Plano.

Mike.

9

Well-before worrying about the type of tank cars, it helps to know why to run them? Are you modeling an industry that needs them? Enjoy their appearance? Like watching them go around curves, etc?

I model the early 1980s and have a few tank cars. I don’t need too many since you didn’t see a lot in many parts of southern VA. That region has coal, coal, coal! I can put them on consists that serve the ag business or a small fuel dealer with AA/LPG.

10

Yes, I did and do have a pretty good idea of what I am hoping to achieve. My recent purchases help to accomplish my objectives. Thanks for asking!

11

Mike???

12

The link to the ebay store comes up if you search for RCR River City Railroad on Google.

13

I just sent you a PM about it.

Mike.

14

If want to mix things up a bit, and give some of your MDC cars a different look, try these:

https://ppw-aline.com/products/29400-modern-tank-car-ends

It’s an assortment of tank car ends that fit on the Roundhouse/MDC 50’ tank cars.

Mike.